Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan met December 27 with a group of sports officials having registered outstanding success in 2012.

President Sahakyan stressed the role of physical culture and sports in preserving and strengthening the national gene pool and population health, upbringing the younger generation, as well as for comprehensive development of the individual, organization of the citizens’ active rest and worthy introduction of Artsakh to the international community.

He congratulated those present on the coming New Year and handed in financial awards to a group of sportsmen and trainers who showed good results in 2012.

Primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, National Assembly speaker Ashot Ghulyan, Prime Minister Ara Harutyunyan and other officials attended the meeting, Central Information Department at NKR President's Office reported.